September 2017 Cellar Reviews

Now that Yeti is canned I was going to buy a few to see how it ages (cans are so wonderfully compact and stackable). I may reconsider, although it's so cheap I might do it anyway.

 

Had two cellared beers that I took to a BYOB restaurant for dinner the other night. It was for our wedding anniversary, so I was not taking notes.

2013- North Coast Old Stock - fairly sweet, but the malt flavors were not as complex or developed as I remember from drinking some other batches at 4 years old.

2011 (best by date of 2016) -St. Bernardus Abt 12. This was my last bottle from that year. A little past it's prime - I would still with the brewery's 5 year suggestion.

 

That should say "stick with".

 

Consuming a 348 day old Founders Centennial. Now I know IPAs are best fresh and Centennial is no exception as fresh is definitely better. But hear me out, at nearly a year old it's better than 6 months old. At nearly a year old it drinks like a barley wine with a strong honey profile. Not so much pine as you'd get when fresh but rather a honeycomb, nutty, honey nut cheerio flavor. I wouldn't necessarily recommend aging Centennial but today it is soothing with the end of summer and beginning of football and I will continue to age my last can as I am still interested in what that will taste like. But nevertheless it is much better fresh yet never is it a drain pour no matter how old it is.

 

No notes, but the first bottles of odell jolly russian are aging well. Big vanilla and roast malt, marshnallow and a big creamy mouthfeel.

 

Weyerbacher Quad, bottled Nov 11 2011, best by 11/10/16. So almost 6 years old.

mostly clear dark orange amber colored, thin cream colored head. a thin ring remains as I drink. nice pleasant aroma of plum, toffee, caramel, raisin, black cherry. taste is still warming at 11.8% abv, but not hot and boozy like it was fresh. sticky mouthfeel.

so if you've got some old bottles, don't be scared of the 5 year mark.

 

Drinking a 2013 Stone Double Bastard.

Pours from a 22oz bottle. Fair amount of head, fruity, nutty nose. Taste is incredibly smooth and alcohol bun for a 11.2% beer is minimal. Lots of figs and dates. Sweet but not cloying. Sort like a good Old Ale. Really nice beer with little in the way of oxidation as well. Not sure it'll get a bunch better but it's drinking very nice at four years

 

I am working my way through a 12-pack of the 2010 edition. Great so far. Thanks for the reminder to drink another one, it's been awhile.

 

A 12 pack? Are the hangovers smoother with less bite?

 

Ha, not in one night. Quite the opposite - I'm drinking a bottle once or twice a year to see how they age.

 

Did a vertical tasting last night of Hangar 24's Pugachev Royale (RIS aged in brandy barrels) 2013-2016. Each vintage had shared characteristics of sweetness (chocolate and vanilla), but what was interesting was how the barrel character had developed over time. The '15 and '16 vintages, weighing in with 13.5% and 14.3% ABV respectively, were markedly boozier than the '13 and '14, which had 14.8% and 16.3% ABV. I was particularly surprised how smooth and velvety the '14 vintage was.

 

2009 Smuttynose Imperial Stout.

Jet black in color, great head retention for an aged beer. Aroma is chocolate and dark fruits. Taste is mildly bitter and acidic. Quite roasty. Bitter cocoa. Touch of red wine oxidation notes. So maybe a little too much age. Full bodied, nice smooth mouthfeel.

 

2010 and 2013 DFH Palo Santo Marron side by side

2013 much better head. as they warm, they both still have a big aroma of woody booziness. 2013 has a little more vanilla left. 2010 is a little ashy in the flavor, the flavor is a little more bright and bold in the 2013. body is a little fuller and smoother in 2013. overall - these haven't changed that much in 7 and 4 years respectively, but I would still drink this beer fresh. Fun experiment though.

 

2011 DFH Immort Ale

Slightly muddy medium brown color with amber highlights, not much head. Fairly strong malty aroma - caramel, leather, spiced rum. Taste is similar, mildly sweet, a touch boozy. Lower carbonation, a little syrupy.